Mike Conley is turning 38 in October, which, paired with his already declining play, makes Conley's role with the Minnesota Timberwolves a key story as the season nears. The veteran point guard has been a starting point guard throughout his career and during his past two and a half seasons with the Wolves. However, Conley came off the bench seven times last season.
Earlier this month, The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski said that it's "entirely possible" that the Wolves replace Conley with Donte DiVincenzo in the starting lineup. During a recent appearance on The Dane Moore NBA Podcast, Krawczynski said he "leans toward" DiVincenzo starting on opening night.
It's important to note that Krawczynski said he isn't reporting this. Nevertheless, it has to mean something that the most trusted Timberwolves reporter seems to think that Donte starting is a strong possibility.
Does starting DiVincenzo over Conley make sense?
Starting DiVincenzo would give the Wolves some extra positional size and versatility. At 6-foot-4, he has a significant height advantage over the 6-foot Conley. The lineup of DiVincenzo with the starters posted a 4.6 net rating compared to a 3.2 net rating with Conley alongside the starters. However, the lineup with Conley played just over 500 more minutes than the lineup with DiVincenzo.
In some ways, starting Conley is the safer choice for the Wolves, especially considering the stabilizing force that Conley's playmaking provides. Additionally, Conley averaged more clutch time minutes than DiVincenzo. Still, DiVincenzo offers more perimeter creation and defense. This poses a tough decision for head coach Chris Finch.
According to Cleaning the Glass, DiVincenzo was actually more impactful as a point guard than a shooting guard last year. He posted a +8.4 efficiency differential as a point guard and a +5.3 while playing shooting guard. DiVincenzo also played slightly more minutes than Conley last season. As Conley ages, this trend seems likely to continue. As a result, it would be logical to start Donte if he's going to play more anyway.
In the 10 games where DiVincenzo started last season, he increased his averages across the board, averaging 14.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. If DiVincenzo is a full-time starter, it's possible his production could increase from last season. While there are clear benefits of starting DiVincenzo, it shouldn't be a no-brainer given Conley's high-IQ playmaking and ability to orchestrate the offense.
Regardless, it's clear that DiVincenzo has a solid chance to earn a starting role. Whether it happens to start the season or is a mid-season change, it feels like a strong possibility that DiVincenzo joins the starting group.